Gravity of Love
by PippaCavalli
Summary: Set at the beginning of Breaking Dawn, Edward and Bella's persistent and inexplicable need to be together forces them home to seek help from Carlisle. What they discover will change everything and may jeopardize their very existence...
1. Oh, Fortuna!

**Gravity of Love  
**

**Author: PippaCavalli**

**Rating: MA**

**Pairings: Bella/Edward; All CC**

**Summary: Set at the beginning of Breaking Dawn, Edward and Bella's persistent and inexplicable need to be together forces them home to seek help from Carlisle. What they discover will change everything and may jeopardize their very existence...**

**Author's Note: Hi all! I've been a long-time reader of Twilight Fanfic, but I am a first-time author. I've written for other books/shows/movies, but I had this idea spinning around my brain and I wanted to get it out. A brief warning before we begin, this story is very sexually explicit and it will become graphic/violent as it progresses. I will warn you if it deviates from any mainstream adult themes, but please note that there will be strong language, sexuality, and profanity throughout. If this bothers you at all, please do not read. Thank you :) Pippa  
**

I had never wanted anything more in my life than I did in this very moment. His frigid fingertips danced lithely up the length of my thigh, his icy breath coming in short pants against the hollow of my neck. I could feel every muscle in his marbled frame go rigid in a momentous attempt to control his own desire, though I could clearly feel the effects of his ministrations pressed against my hip.

"Bella," he hissed as his hands reached the edge of my folds, teasing the soft curls that masked them.

"Oh god, Edward! Edward, please…" I gasped as I felt the first feather light touch against my clitoris and arched into the sensation, my body begging him for more.

He paused there for a long moment, pressing down just the smallest bit. I writhed beneath his hand, the sensation almost too much to bear.

Edward placed soft, cool kisses along my neck and waited for my body to settle before proceeding. I could feel my heart beating erratically in my chest and as much as I wanted him to continue, I knew that if he had, there would be a good chance I wouldn't be conscious long enough to enjoy the ending. There was still a good chance of that, but it was most definitely a risk I was willing to take.

His lips traveled up the underside of my chin and finally found mine, his tongue tracing their outline before seeking out my own. Even with everything that was happening in that very moment, with everything that was about to transpire between us, I was still completely awed by the reverence of a single kiss from him…from my husband.

Without warning, his thumb joined his finger and together they mimicked the rhythmic caress of his mouth. My mind became entirely incoherent and I moaned ceaselessly against his kisses, unable to even form his name in my frenzied state.

I could feel something inexplicable building in my core, like no sensation I had ever experienced. This is not to say that I hadn't orgasmed before; I was an 18 year old girl with an unrealistically beautiful boyfriend – well, husband – who thought it best not to touch me in any way close to this before tonight (and even tonight had taken a great deal of persuasion and compromise; the greatest of which being the addition of the prefix "Mrs." to my name). But this, whatever this was, was an immeasurable magnitude greater than anything I had ever felt. My body was alight with billions of electronic impulses crashing into one another, all moving towards the same inevitability…explosion.

Edward removed his finger, but his thumb remained, continuing to thrust me closer and closer to oblivion. I pushed my mouth against his harder, wanting more, only to wretch it away and let out a scream of pure ecstasy as he slid two fingers deep inside of me.

He groaned and dropped his head against my shoulder as he used every last ounce of self control to gently massage my g-spot. Primal need gripped me as I pressed against him, senseless and shaking. He was touching me in a way no one else ever had, in a way no one else ever would and in that moment, I needed to do the very same for him. Instinctually, I reached down and rested my hand against his manhood, wrapping my fingers around him one by one until I had him encircled.

It was Edward's turn to gasp. He didn't seem capable of words either as I moved up and down the length of his impressive shaft, matching the rhythm he'd set against my flesh. Even fleche with his wintry body, I began to sweat, the agony of the pleasure seeping into every last crevice of my being.

"Oh, Bella…please, love…" he sighed, his voice drenched in sensuality.

_Please? _My mind tried to comprehend his words, but to no avail.

"I need you," he growled through clenched teeth. His eyes had turned a fiery bronze, passion and love burning there as though someone lit his very soul aflame.

All movements stopped as we sank into each other's gaze, our chests matching breath for breath. This act alone felt almost more intimate than our hands twined around one another's skin.

"You have me," I whispered adoringly, my free hand reaching up to cup his perfect face.

He released his fingers from my walls and wrapped his hand around mine, still and warm against his gorgeous - and somewhat imposing – member. He tangled his fingers in mine and slowly removed it, bringing our arms up to rest above my head. He dipped forward and caught my bottom lip between his as he moved his weight over me, settling so just the very tip of his penis was pressed against my opening. He ran his palm gently over my breast and then down the curve of my side, slipping his forearm underneath my body so that he could pull me even closer to him.

He entered me then. Slowly, too slowly. I wanted every inch of him, regardless of pain, regardless of gentleness, I wanted him wholly and completely. His eyes pierced into mine, so fervent and consuming I couldn't even bring myself to blink. I reached out to him with my mind, wishing – and not for the first time – that he could hear me. I had no words for the experience, hardly any coherency at all, but the emotions and the pleasure coursing through me were all but howling in my head.

"All of you," I choked out, my lips barely moving to form the words.

He was as far lost in the experience as I was, his self-control threadbare and fraying further as the seconds ticked by. I half expected an argument from him, but instead he slid into me in one fluid stroke.

I cried out, arching my hips into the sensation, boring my nails into the stone of his back. He growled in such a low timbre that our bodies vibrated and every cell in my body came alive with the resonance.

I could see in his eyes then that the very last shred of resolve had dissipated and he had given in. Words were still beyond me so I spoke with my actions, pressing my hips up into his once more; that was all the persuasion it took.

He set a delicious cadence, thrusting in and out of me with long, tender strokes. I had expected the whole experience to be more carnal, less sensual, in part because of what he was, but also in part because I didn't think I'd have this much control over myself.

I could feel the release mounting within me, starting deep in my abdomen and radiating outward. It was as though my body had become the core of a neutron star; energy packed so tightly into such a small amount of space that when gravity ultimately conceded to sheer force, it could very well engulf an entire galaxy.

"Edward, Edward, Edward, oh Edward...!" I chanted over and over again, his name becoming my mantra. I wanted to slip away into an oblivion, I wanted to get washed away with the sensations, with the emotions, with the very act, but his eyes held mine as if by a vice grip. I could not have looked away if it had meant stopping the end of the world.

"I love you," he whispered then, his cool, sweet breath fanning across my face. I felt something tighten in him, triggering my walls to do the same, and for the longest millisecond of my existence, we froze, gasping simultaneously, we both plummeted off the edge of sanity, crying out with the ferocity of the explosion.

Tremors wracked our bodies as we slowly came back down together. I was just vaguely aware of our surroundings; of the splintered headboard, of the feathers covering our bodies and littering the linens, the breeze coming in through the French doors moving the debris gently around us.

Neither of us spoke for a long while. Edward had rolled us over so that I rested over his statuesque body, his fingers playing gently with my hair. I could feel the fatigue setting into my bones; never had my head felt so heavy, but I still managed to lift myself just enough to place one languid kiss on my husband's lips.

"I love you, Edward. With everything I have, I love you," I murmured, settling back down onto him, nesting my face in the crook of his neck.

Instead of responding, he simply pressed his lips to my head and began to hum my lullaby, the haunting melody holding more meaning than words ever could. His angelic voice was the last sound I heard before drifting off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.


	2. Velut Luna

I awoke the next morning to the twittering of two brilliantly colored tropical birds that were perched on the railing of the balcony. I moved to stretch, but I found my arms bound by stone. I smiled broadly and pressed my face into his taut chest, coyly darting my tongue out to taste his sweet flesh.

"Good morning, gorgeous," he greeted me with a throaty laugh. His grip around my body loosened and I moved so that I could kiss his mouth.

"Shouldn't that be my line?" I teased, resting my forehead against his.

"No, most definitely not, my lovely Bella. You are truly and utterly the gorgeous one," he pushed my hair back from my face and pulled back so that he could tease the sensitive spot on my neck. It was useless to argue with him, and with the assault he was mounting on my senses with just his tiny kisses, I wasn't about to go trying to form proper sentences.

I felt him stir beneath me, his now rigid member poking into my lower abdomen. I giggled and sat up, feeling brazen.

"My, my Mr. Cullen, and what might we have here?" I teased with a sultry smile. I had no idea where this wantonness was coming from, but there was no way that I wasn't going to take advantage of the situation. I finally got what I had been waiting so long for last night, and now that I had it, I wasn't about to give it up.

"Bella!" He gasped as I wrapped my fingers around him and positioned him at my entrance. I grinned mercilessly as I sank down onto him, hissing quietly at the unexpected soreness that followed.

His hands flew to my hips and by the deep look of concern in his eyes, he was going to try and stop me. I shook my head and bit down on my lip, starting a slow rhythm. His hands remained on my hips, but his eyes wandered about my body, going wide as he noticed my small, pert breasts bouncing as I moved over him. I ran my hands up my tight stomach and slid them over the mounds of my breasts, teasing my nipples between my fingers. I moaned at the contact and upped my pace, my head lolling back in ecstasy.

_What the hell am I doing? _The back of my mind screamed at me.

I didn't know the answer to that question, and in that moment, I didn't care. I had gotten a glimpse of the most astounding whole-body experience last night and I didn't think I'd ever be able to get enough of it. And from the way that Edward was responding to my body, I could only gather that he felt exactly the same.

His cold palm dislodged itself from my hip and rested it against the top of my mound. I inhaled sharply as I felt his thumb come to rest on my clitoris, his eyes looking up at me expectantly.

"May I?" He choked out, straining to retain some semblance of control.

"I belong to you, Edward. Every last inch of me," I replied, dropping my left breast from my hand and reaching down to meet his where our bodies were joined. I moved his thumb over my bundle of nerves, my hand dropping away almost instantaneously as the sensation washed over me. The rhythm I had so carefully set dissolved into erratic thrusts as he came up to meet me stroke for stroke. I could feel the screams building in the back of my throat and instead of resisting, I released every reservation and let him know just how much he was affecting me.

I rode him in a frenzy, completely unaware of anything except the immense pleasure that engulfed my body.

Suddenly, without any warning, an orgasm hit me at full force, practically knocking the air from my chest. My walls fluttered rhythmically around him and I triggered his release, my name a cry on his lips as he came into me.

I collapsed onto his chest and moments later the incredulity of what I had just done hit me and I broke into a fit of giggles.

"My god, Bella! Where on earth did that come from?" Edward chuckled along with me, my giddy mood drawing him in and painting the most glorious smile across his face.

"I…" giggle "have no…" giggle "idea!" I could feel a hot blush come over my face and I hid myself under his throat, feeling suddenly and unreasonably embarrassed.

"Oh Bella," Edward admonished, stroking my back. He drew a finger under my chin and forced me to look up. My laughing died down and I tried to avert my gaze but he held it. "You should never be ashamed of anything we share. I know I'm most certainly not."

I smiled then, realizing the foolishness of my reaction. This was my _husband _for god's sake!

"So that was okay with you, then?"

"So much more than okay," Edward agreed, pecking the tip of my nose.

I was surprised by his response, but I didn't let it show on my face. I wanted him to be okay with our intimacy, I wanted him to feel comfortable being with me and I wasn't about to say something to ruin that.

We were contentedly quiet for a long while until my stomach decided to speak up.

"Time to feed the human," I quipped, catching his almost black irises. "And the vampire, I see."

"Hmm," he acknowledged agreeably. "Well, why don't I accompany you down to the kitchen and show you where Esme keeps everything…or rather, where the house staff keeps everything and then I'll head out."

I rolled off of him and went to hop out of bed, only to find my entire body screaming in protest.

"I guess we went at it a little harder than I realized," I commented, looking down at the discoloration that spread across my skin.

Edward was at my side instantly, assessing every mark.

"I knew this was a terrible idea," he murmured under his breath, tracing a rather impressive handprint on my hipbone.

"Stop that right now, Edward Cullen!" I scolded. I wasn't going to allow him a single reservation. Especially after he'd reacted so positively just minutes ago. "Edward, I am _fine_. I bruise like a banana to begin with and you were the picture of control on _both _occasions. I am not going to let you feel guilty for leaving a few marks on my body. These last 48 hours have been the best ones of my entire life and I don't intend to let it stop there."

"Bella, we practically decimated the furniture, and you are _covered_ in bruises…not just a few marks! I could've done a lot of damage last night," he spoke the last part quietly, as though he was, at the same time, thanking some higher power for that not occurring.

"But you didn't. And you know what, Edward, if ever this gets out of hand and something _does_ happen? You have the power to heal me," I noted, both hands resting on the sides of his face.

"No, Bella, I have the power to kill you…"

"You have the power to make me immortal," I countered.

"Are we really going to have this conversation right now?" He almost begged, looking more and more desperate to change the subject.

"No, not right now," I agreed, though my tone implied that this issue was far from settled. I took a deep breath and ran my palms along the sides of his throat and clasped them together at the nape of his neck. "I _want_ you, Edward. You are my _husband_ and I want to be with you. And now that I've had you, I don't think I can just stop. So you need to push passed your almost tyrannical over protectiveness and accept that this is a part of our marriage. I held up my part of the bargain," I emphasized by showing him the admittedly beautiful diamond on my left ring finger. "I would hope that out of respect for me, you'd hold up yours."

"Bella." He sighed and dropped his lips to my forehead in a lingering kiss. I won the battle for the moment and that was more than enough for me.

We dressed unhurriedly, Edward in dark jeans and a white cuffed oxford and I in an "Alice ensemble" – a billowy white sundress with a fitted halter bodice and a plummeting neckline, no bra required. Edward looked me over appreciatively but said nothing, taking my hand instead and leading me down to the first floor.

He got me acquainted with the entirely over-the-top gourmet kitchen and after a bit of coaxing, left to find himself something more appropriate for his species. I found it entirely ironic that a coven of vampires would have such incredible kitchens considering just how unnecessary they are to them. I understood the need to keep up appearances, and though vampires don't sleep, the beds certainly serve their purpose, but I never quite got the entire "stocked kitchen" thing. It worked out wonderfully for me because there was never the question of what I would eat or how, but unless Alice had been more aware of my arrival than she's let on, it seemed like a silly thing to have.

Ignoring the oddity of it, I set about preparing breakfast, mostly as a distraction until Edward returned. When we were still in Forks and I was still a seemingly normal teenage girl (and not the teenage bride of a centenarian vampire), I would quietly agonize over the few hours a day that I didn't get my Edward time. But there was something different about the feeling that settled in me while I was absently watching pancake batter bubble on a skillet. The feeling I had become so accustom to sat heavy on my chest, as though someone was trying to give me CPR but were stuck on the downbeat. This new feeling was somatic; I ached for him in every crevice of my being. I fidgeted absentmindedly as I flipped the pancakes, their warm scent wafting up to my nostrils causing my stomach to speak up again. I glanced out the panoramic window for probably the tenth time in the last fifteen minutes, wishing that his cool, sweet breath was against my neck and his icy arms were around my waist. I sighed and slid the pancakes on a plate next to the eggs and fruit I'd already put together and sat down at the long granite counter, facing the outside wall.

_He'll be back soon, _I chastised myself, rolling my eyes at my own foolishness. _It's not like you haven't been away from him for far longer._ The memories of the six months that he had stayed away crashed into me then like a fist to the gut. As wonderful as Jacob had been through the whole ordeal and as much as I appreciated the friendship I was able to build in Edward's absence, the fact that he had left me outweighed that epically. I took a deep breath to try and quell the ache that had started to build in the bottom of my stomach, but it only served to make it worse. I wanted him, then. I wanted to touch him and to know he was real and mine and that this wasn't some delusional, beautiful nightmare that my mind had conjured up to keep me from plummeting off the deep end. I was rooted to the barstool, my knuckles turning white from pressing into my thighs. I called for him in my head, knowing that it was a futile effort, but I was becoming desperate. I had never experienced a need so deep, so penetrating for anything and it was starting to scare me.

I let out a strangled sob as the almost painful arousal mounted. All I could think about was the feeling of him around me and inside of me and taking me over and over. It felt like everything was on fire and he would be the only way to cool me down.

Just when I thought that I was going to lose it entirely, Edward came bursting into the kitchen, looking as frantic and ravenous as I felt. He obviously hadn't finished feeding; his eyes were lighter but had not returned to the liquid gold I loved so much. His features were strained and I could see every muscle flexing in his body, making me want him all the more. From 20 feet away I could see his erection straining against the fabric of his pants, threatening to rip them in half. My breathing quickened and suddenly he was in front of me, lifting me off of the stool and settling my body on the countertop.

"Bella," he growled, lacing his fingers in my hair and securing my body against him.

If humans could be said to attack vampires, then that's what I did. I crushed myself against him, ripping at the top of his waistband while thrusting my tongue into his mouth. I didn't care at that moment if he broke every bone in my body; I needed him inside of me at any cost.

Edward's hand joined mine and he tore the jeans from his body with one fluid motion. I hadn't noticed his lack of boxers when we were dressing that morning, but I was very glad for it then. He ran his hands up the sides of my thighs, pushing the skirt of my sundress out of the way as he went. Reaching my white lace panties, he shredded them with one flick of his wrist and pressed himself against my heat.

"Edward, fuck me!" I demanded against his lips. Had either of us been any more lucid, we would've been utterly shocked that those words came out of my mouth, but we were too far gone to care.

He readily complied and entered me with one hard thrust. I screamed out in sheer pleasure, my arms entwined around his shoulders as he pounded into me. Even in this frantic state, I knew that he was holding back tremendously to keep from killing me, but I wasn't sure how much resolve either of us had left.

The cumulative soreness from the last twenty four hours was evident as he crashed into my body and I felt tears stinging the corners of my eyes. I bit them back and let the pleasure take over the pain each movement taking me further from the discomfort as the passion rose throughout every inch of me.

"Oh god! Fuck me! Fuck me, Edward, Fuck me!" I cried, clawing at his stony skin. I felt as though I was going to be torn in half from the intensity of it, but I couldn't care less. I bit at him, anywhere I could find an exposed piece of flesh, I laid my lips down and sucked, out of my mind with pleasure.

"Fuck, Bella!" He moaned in my ear, his breath coming out in jagged, grunting pants. I had never heard anything so primal, so intrinsic before in my life and it took my desire to an entirely different level.

"Edward…Edward! Edward, please, I need to come…let me come! Oh god, just let me come," I begged unabashedly, tears falling freely from the overwhelming assault on my senses.

His hips quickened once more and I could vaguely feel the granite island shaking underneath me. "Then come for me, princess," he whispered so hotly that his mere words sent me spiraling into the most intense, consuming orgasm yet. I screamed unintelligible strings of words, with his name and "love" and "god" all in there somewhere as I came violently around him, my walls shuttering with release.

He followed me a few thrust later, carnally crying out my name before his lips fused with mine in a searing kiss.

It took a full five minutes for either of us to stop moving completely and our orgasms to die down, but when they did I felt an exhaustion so overwhelming that it took every last bit of power that I had to remain awake.

Seeing me in such a prone state, Edward immediately slipped from inside me and gathered me up in his arms. I tucked my head into the crook of his neck and closed my eyes, about to drift off as I felt something soft beneath me. But within a second of being put down, I could feel the absence of his cold, hard body and I forced myself to open my eyes and find him.

The look of horror on his face was evident, even in my hazy state. I knew that he was disgusted with himself for allowing things to get so out of control, but there was something else there too; I was just too disjointed to even think about asking him what was wrong. But I did know that there was no way I could let him distance himself from me, so I reached out for him, knowing that he wouldn't be able to leave me alone.

He sighed audibly and took my hand, kissing my palm before slipping into bed behind me, spooning against my back. Before he was even settled in, I let my eyes slip shut and sleep came almost instantly.


	3. Statu Variabilis

Author's Note: This next chapter will start to delve into the plot more. If you are enjoying this, then by all means, let me know!! This is my first Twilight fanfic, so any words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated :) Thanks for reading!

And, per usual, I have no legal rights to Twilight or any affiliate. I am merely borrowing for my own entertainment…and hopefully yours :)

* * *

The light had shifted in the room, the first rays of sunset settling themselves out on the water and glistening off the white walls. My body still felt exhausted, but arousal had settled in the pit of my stomach once again and forced me awake. I could hear Edward's uneven breathing at my ear and feel his rigid cock pressed against my backside. I pushed back against him and let out a quiet noise of appreciation to let him know that I was up. His hand traveled over the curve of my hip and across my belly, crossing upwards to my breasts. He gingerly took one in his grasp and kneaded it lovingly, raining kisses across my shoulder all the while.

I squirmed against him, awed by the power of such soft contact. I moaned at his ministrations and pushed against his penis once more, causing it to slip between my thighs and rest just below my entrance.

Edward shifted his hips slightly and sheathed himself inside of me, causing both of us to gasp with satisfaction.

He set a languid pace, his hand making its way back down my torso and pressing against my clitoris. His fingers played over my nub with an almost unbearably light touch, teasing my body into excitement.

I whimpered as he brought me closer to my ultimate desire, being pressed firmly against his body only heightening the incredible sensations. Our rhythm remained steady but I could feel the sheer effort he exerted to hold off his own release.

"It's okay, Edward," I murmured, reaching back to touch the side of his face. "Come."

My simple request sent him directly over the edge, coming hard inside of me with a series of strangled growls. The feeling of his orgasm sparked my own and I opened my mouth in a soundless scream, too delirious to manage much else.

I had only moments to come down when Edward suddenly lurched away from me. He sat up, staring at me with the most bewildered expression on his unnaturally beautiful face.

"Edward! What is it?" I asked, completely taken aback by his behavior. I sat up too, realizing suddenly that I had somehow ended up naked between the incident in the kitchen and waking up in bed. I grabbed at the sheet that was crumpled about my ankles and yanked it over me, feeling suddenly and overwhelmingly vulnerable.

"Your skin," Edward muttered, his eyes still fixated on me.

_My skin? What the hell is he talking about?_ I looked down at my arms and aside from the bruises, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"It's…_warm_," he stumbled over the words in complete shock, still unable to look at my face.

_Had he gone mad?_ "I'm human, _of course_ it's warm Edward!" I answered incredulously, unsure as to where this was going.

"No, Bella," he ground out, his jaw working over the words before he spoke them. "Your skin is _hot_. It feels like fire to me," he took a shuttering breath. "But now? You just feel, well, tepid."

I unconsciously brought my hand to my chest, my brow furrowing in confusion. I didn't feel any different than I had yesterday or the day before that or any other day of my entire life.

"You won't feel it, not on yourself."

He reached out for me then, tentatively as though _I _was going to hurt _him_; not the other way around. I met his hand half way, lacing my fingers in between his and it hit me. He still felt chilly, but not cold; not by a long shot. Instead of a blizzard, his skin felt like rain in the late spring. Just cool enough to want a raincoat but not cold enough for anything more. I gasped, intent on pulling my hand back out of fear, but he held me there, squeezing my palm to his.

"Does this hurt you?" He asked then, still grasping my hand.

I shook my head, wondering briefly why he would even ask me such a thing. He would never do anything to cause intentional harm, so his question seemed pointless.

His eyes went wide and he let up his grip on me. "Bella…I was actually _squeezing_ your hand," he said, the shock evident in his voice. "Not hard, by vampire standards," he added slowly. "But it would be bone shattering for any human."

His words hit me then and my hand immediately flew to my neck, feeling for teeth marks.

He gave a short chuckle that didn't do his true laugh any justice. "I didn't bite you," he assured me, becoming somber again. "But I have no idea what's happening to you…or me for that matter."

Edward finally met my eyes with those last words and I could see the utter shame and confusion in his face. I reached out for him then, cupping his cheek and he leaned into my touch, closing his eyes to the contact.

"What do you mean, Edward?" I asked gently, stroking his glorious skin.

"When…" he stopped and took a long breath before continuing. "When I was out hunting this afternoon, I was suddenly hit by this uncontrollable desire to be with you. It felt as though I would implode if I didn't have you in that very instance and all I could think about was getting back to you. It didn't matter that I had barely just begun to feed, it didn't matter that I was still thirsty, it wouldn't have mattered if the apocalypse had arrived in that second, all I knew was that I had to be with you…to be inside of you. And by the time I got back here, I had absolutely no control over my actions." He shuttered and his eyes gained a far-off look. "Had you asked me to stop, I don't think I could've," he admitted quietly, the concept clearly frightening him more than anything had in a very long time.

"I couldn't have stopped, either," I spoke up, my words intending to comfort him but also completely truthful.

He sighed, "It's not the same thing, Bella. You might not have been able to stop, but you couldn't have killed me in the process. I still can't figure out how you are still sitting here in front of me, alive and well. For that matter, I can't figure out how I managed to not break your hand just a few minutes ago."

"I don't know either, Edward. Perhaps that's a question we'll have to ask Carlisle."

He nodded in agreement and was silent for a moment, undoubtedly berating himself for whatever he believes himself to have done to cause this.

"Edward, I wanted…no, I _needed_ you in the kitchen this morning and here in this bed this afternoon just as much as you needed me, if not more. The desire I felt for you was utterly overwhelming and I had even gotten to the point where I was screaming for you in my mind, praying that by some miracle you could hear me. I don't know what's happening to me or to us, but whatever it is; we'll figure it out. Together."

Edward drew a hand across my cheek and pushed a strand of hair behind my ear, his palm coming to rest on the nape of my neck. He rested his lips against my forehead and pressed me against his body once more, bringing us back against the pillows. We were quiet for a long while, our minds wandering as our bodies curled into one another.

"Bella," he spoke then, his tone thoughtful. "What if we were to perform an experiment?"

"An experiment? I didn't exactly come on our honeymoon expecting to do a science project," I joked, earning a throaty laugh from him.

"I think, my lovely Bella, that you'll rather enjoy this kind of experiment. Or rather, the reward for participation," he murmured suggestively, trailing his fingers up and down the length of my spine.

"Oh? And what did you have in mind, dear husband?" The word still felt foreign on my tongue, but no longer in an uncomfortable, bitter way.

"I think we need to find out just how much control we have over ourselves," Edward answered, his fingers tracing delicious patterns across my back. "First, there should be a timed experiment. We'll make love and then wait to see how long it takes for us to experience a need beyond any normal desire. We'll repeat the experiment, but instead of making love the moment we feel the drive to do so, we will wait…"

I pulled away from him slightly and stared at him in horror. "Wait? Edward, I thought I was going to _explode_…physically _explode_ and you want me to try and _wait_? Are you insane?!" I practically scream at him. I knew how horrible I felt just a few short hours ago and I couldn't imagine it getting any worse.

"Bella, I would never do anything to intentionally cause you pain, but we need to try and see how long we can hold out before allowing something so primal to take over. We also need to see what it does to your temperature and your ability to withstand my strength," Edward explained calmly, drawing me back against his solid frame.

I sighed and settled into him. "What then? What comes after that?"

He smiled crookedly, playfulness shining in his glorious eyes. "You'll like this one, love. After we figure out just how long we can wait and how much it affects you physically, we will then make love as frequently as you possibly can. My theory is, the more times we are together, the more physical changes you will experience. Why? That's still a question for Carlisle, but I think it best if we run the preliminary experiments before enlisting his help, don't you?" My lips were on his before the last syllable was out of his mouth. If I was going to be missing out on loving my husband over the next few hours, I wasn't going to waste any time with him while I had the chance.


	4. Semper Crescis

A/N: This, and the next few chapters will be mostly lemons :) There _is _a reason for this smuttfest, I promise (well, besides the fact that it's nice to see B&E get a little summin' summin' :D)! Just give it some time. Enjoy, REVIEW (please? pretty please?), and maybe we'll get to the reason behind this a little bit faster, eh?

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We were at hour three post love-making and playing a game of Rummy 1000 on the coffee table in the media room. A random mix of music was playing in the background, and Edward was completely decimating the point scale.

"I have a very hard time believing that you just drew three aces in a row, Edward Cullen!" I scolded as he spread the cards out on the table, smiling smugly.

"Are you accusing me of cheating, my dear Bella?" He asked smoothly, waiting for me to take my turn.

"And what if I am?" I replied defiantly, fanning my cards on the table and crossing my arms.

"Then I'd have to punish you for such an accusation," he almost growled, passion shining bright in his golden eyes.

In an instant, he was on top of me, his lips fusing to mine in the most luscious kiss. My mind started to cloud and my thoughts became jumbled as I lost myself in the feeling of his fingertips, but then realization dawned on me.

"Ed…Edwa…Edward!" I gasped as his lips descended upon my neck, sucking at my pulse point. He ignored me and continued his fine-tuned ministrations. "Edward! We…we have to…stop! Edward stop!"

My words sent him flying across the room with a look of horror on his face. I immediately felt guilty and scrambled to my feet to get to him, almost tripping over the furniture in the process. His hands came up to encircle my shoulders, holding me at arms' length, steadying my body.

"Bella, I'm so sorry! Are you hurt? What happened? Oh god, I'll never touch…" I launched myself at him, somehow slipping his grasp and falling against his chest. His arms came around me in a natural reaction.

"Don't you _dare_ finish that sentence!" I cried into his chest. Pulling back slightly so that I could meet his eyes, I couldn't help but laugh. He looked so lost and confused; who knew a vampire could actually appear vulnerable?

"Edward, I only wanted you to stop so we didn't ruin our experiment! As ready as I am for you and as much as I want you this very instant, it doesn't feel the same as it did this morning. Not being allowed to have sex with you whenever I'd like is hard enough; I'd hate to have to start all over again!" His face relaxed dramatically at my words and he pulled me back against his chest. I could feel his smile pressed against my forehead and I settled into his embrace.

"Oh Bella," he murmured into my hair. "I suppose I'm a bit too apt to jumping to conclusions when it comes to you," he observed with a chuckle.

"If that isn't the understatement of the year…" I laughed back, letting my words trail off.

He pressed his lips to my forehead and sighed, reluctantly extracting himself from my arms. "If this is going to work, we should probably go back to some time-wasting activity, hm?"

I blow out a breath in mock contention. "I suppose."

We settled for a light film, something with very little sexual innuendo, violence, intensity…anything that might get us riled up. The plot or even the title seemed of little importance; I was hardly paying attention, anyways. My head lolled against Edward's shoulder, and I found myself just enjoying the closeness. His fingers walked haphazardly across my forearm leaving cool pressure points in their wake. The sensation was heady and arousing. I felt something shift in my chest, then. My breath coming out in short gasps and my body instantaneously alight with desire. My hand that was resting against his abdomen balled into his shirt, trying to bring him closer to me. I snaked my fingers in between the buttons and grazed his marble skin with my nails, eliciting a sharp intake from him.

"Edward, I feel…I can't control…" I choked out, contorting myself so that I was almost straddling his lap. The evidence of his arousal was plain and his eyes were opals; so dark, so hungry for me.

"I know, Bella," he groans, his hands sliding down the curve of my waist, coming to rest on my hips. In one quick movement he lifts me up so that I am fully facing him, his covered erection straining against my core. His mouth reaches for mine fervently, his lips falling feather-light against mine as he pushes himself harder against me.

His palms run down my thighs and then back up under the hem of the t-shirt I had been lounging around in. I squeal as he kneads the firm globes of my ass, sending shockwaves through my entire body.

"You're so hot," he whispers against my neck, licking across my clavicle and back up to my chin.

I was momentarily taken aback by his word choice – the Edward I married tends towards words like "gorgeous" or "incredible" or "goddess" – but I quickly realized that he was referring to my skin temperature. He felt colder to me, too. Not as frigid as I was used to, but nowhere near as comfortable as he had a few hours ago.

I merely whimpered in response, my hands fumbling with the few buttons on his shirt front while he tore my panties from my body in one swift motion. I gasp at the carnal sensation and pressed my palms against his glorious pecs, memorizing each muscular curve as I wandered about his chest. He moved away from me for a split second, yanking my shirt over my head and tossing it behind the couch. Hooking an arm underneath my bottom, he lifted me off his lap and removed his pants with his other hand, leaving him almost as naked as I was. He distracted me briefly while he removed his oxford, his mouth encircling my breast causing me to arch into the almost orgasmic sensation. His manhood was sliding deliciously between my folds and I squirmed in anticipation. I couldn't wait any longer to have him inside me, so taking him in my hand, I positioned him at my entrance and let him slide home, hissing in satisfaction.

Edward took my hips in my hands and held my body still as he pistoned into me, wasting no time setting a furious rhythm. My hands dug into his shoulders for leverage and my head was thrown back in ecstasy, still completely in awe of the passion and emotions he was able to evoke in me.

"Oh god, Edward! Edward! This feels so beautiful, you feel so beautiful, you are so beautiful!" I gasped reverently as his mouth found my breast once more. He sucked and laved at my nipple, increasing the experience ten-fold. I drew my fingers through his hair, pulling him closer to my chest and then let my hand drop between us, seeking out my clit in passionate desperation.

"Fuck! Edward, fuck, I'm right there! Please, come with me baby, come with me!" I screamed in frustration, bouncing against his hands, trying to increase the friction.

I felt his hips shift slightly and he slammed into me at a new angle, sending me flying into an oblivion like nowhere I'd been before. He came with me, his icy seed bathing my walls with an intense coolness and I cried again at the onslaught of sensations.

I collapsed against him, my chest heaving and my mind whirling with lingering pleasure.

"You feel so much cooler, Bella," Edward commented, drawing his fingers over my cheek.

"The opposite could be said for you," I replied, snuggling into his shoulder.

We stayed like that for a little while until he let out a quiet sigh and lifted me off his lap, placing me on the couch next to him. "I know that this is my experiment and that I set the parameters, but I really have no desire to test your strength," he mumbled, looking me over, making me feel suddenly small and exposed.

"Edward, we really do need to figure out whatever this is," I reminded him gently, taking his hand in mine. I lay back against the armrest and he hovered over me, taking each of my hands in his. He held my eyes in his intense gaze and begun to squeeze my hands slowly, increasing the pressure in miniscule increments. After 20 seconds, his grip felt firm, but still not painful. I asked him to stop just under a minute.

"Bella…I was actually trying there. There's…there's no way you should have been able to withstand that. I should've broken your hand," his voice quivered and his gaze was still fixed on our entwined fingers.

I blew out a long breath. "What does this mean, Edward?"

He shook his head, kissing my knuckles before bringing me flush with his body. I tucked my head under his chin and his arms encircled me; even without super-human senses, I knew that his mind was nowhere in the vicinity of Isle Esme. "I haven't the slightest idea, love," he breathed into my hair.

"So now we wait?"

"So now we wait."


End file.
